DUSHANBE, October 11, 2010, Asia-Plus — Acting on order from authorities, Internet providers in Tajikistan have barred access to a number of websites, Ms. Parvina Ibodova, the chairperson of the Association of Internet-Providers of Tajikistan, told Asia-Plus on Monday afternoon.
“Over the past two days, the access to ferghana.ru and centrasia.ru has been blocked; earlier, tjknews.com was blocked,” said Ibodova, “Access to these sites has been closed following a letter from the Ministry of Transport and Communications to all Internet providers in the country.”
According to her, the letter under the hand of Deputy Minister of transport and Communications, Beg Zuhurov orders the Internet providers to block access to the mentioned sties.
Ms. Ibodova added that the first instructions to block sites were given on October 5-6 already. “These were verbal instructions,” said the chairperson of the Association of Internet-Providers of Tajikistan, “However, we that time sent a letter to the ministry, asking to clarify the reason for blocking the sites. We have not received reply to our letter, and therefore, we are making one more inquiry today.”
The Internet providers are extremely dependent on a MoTC, according to her. “They are forced to bar access to sites; otherwise, authorities will make pressure on them,” Ibodova noted.
The MoTC representatives refused to comment on blockage of sites, pleading absence of Beg Zuhurov.
In the meantime, Reuters reported on October 11 that the head of news site avesta.tj, Zafar Abdullayev, said he believed blocking access was the initiative of officials eager to “demonstrate at a time of political instability that they are taking measures to control the situation.”
